• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Japan trials ‘drone highways’ as regulations loosen

  18th July 2018

  A grouping of three companies in Japan is exploring the feasibility of what they call ‘drone highways’ for logistics deliveries. The three firms – TEPCO …

• Naval Warfare

  ESSM Block 2 completes flight test

  9th July 2018

  NATO’s Seasparrow Project Office has conducted a successful flight test of the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) Block 2, intercepting a BQM-74E aerial target, NAVSEA …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  GA-ASI maximising MQ-25 fuel capacity offload

  9th July 2018

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has developed an integrated fuel tank structure to maximise fuel offload for the proposed MQ-25 unmanned aerial refueling aircraft for …

• Defence Notes

  Rolls-Royce sells commercial marine unit

  6th July 2018

  British engine maker Rolls-Royce announced on 6 July that it has agreed to sell its loss-making commercial marine business to Norwegian industrial group Kongsberg for …

• Defence Helicopter

  Issues surface over UK's Crowsnest programme

  6th July 2018

  The UK's Crowsnest surveillance programme has been hit by a number of industry development challenges, according to an official assessment.  A Ministry of Defence (MoD) …

• Defence Notes

  Boeing widens embrace of Embraer

  5th July 2018

  Boeing will take control of the commercial business of Brazil's Embraer, the companies announced on 5 July, better positioning the US aerospace giant to compete …

• Digital Battlespace

  ​Insight: Australia on China’s AI shopping list

  4th July 2018

  China’s advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are closely entangled in obtaining talent and dual-use technologies in both Australia and the US, according to a new …

• Training

  Farnborough 2018: Lockheed Martin HTC prepares to open its doors

  11th July 2018

  Lockheed Martin has announced that its Hercules Training Center (HTC) at Marietta will start training its first pilots in September. The HTC is collocated with …

• Naval Warfare

  UK, France deep strike project hits halfway mark

  12th July 2018

  The UK and France are now mid-way through a concept phase looking into the development of a joint anti-ship missile system, also known as the …

• Training

  US puts the brakes on Nicaraguan military training

  12th July 2018

  With violence escalating between Nicaraguans and their government, the US has halted training the Central American nation's military and stopped delivering associated equipment. The decision …

• Defence Notes

  Seven European countries to hit NATO spending pledge: Stoltenberg

  10th July 2018

  Seven European countries are expected to meet a NATO defence spending pledge this year, the alliance said Tuesday, in news that is unlikely to appease …

• Digital Battlespace

  Chemring USA receives decoys contracts

  4th July 2018

  Chemring Countermeasures USA has received two contracts totalling approximately $42 million for the manufacture and delivery of decoys for the US Army and Air Force, …

• Defence Helicopter

  First EMD CH-47F​ Block II inches closer

  2nd July 2018

  The first engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) CH-47F Block II programme helicopter has entered final assembly, Boeing announced on 27 June.Boeing is developing the next-generation …

• Naval Warfare

  Pakistan buys corvette quartet from Turkey

  10th July 2018

  The Pakistan Navy (PN) ordered four 2,300t Ada-class corvettes from Turkish company STM on 5 July. This purchase, rumoured to be worth some $1 billion, …

• Defence Helicopter

  South Korea issues naval helicopter requirement

  11th July 2018

  On 14 June the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced the launch of its search for a second batch of naval helicopters – 12 in …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Kingston Class Replacement [Canada]

  Under the second pillar of its shipbuilding strategy, Ottawa is seeking a replacement for its Kingston-class OPVs. The programme is still in the very early stages of project ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Kingston Class Replacement [Canada]

  Under the second pillar of its shipbuilding strategy, Ottawa is seeking a replacement for its Kingston-class OPVs. The programme is still in the very early stages of project ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Continental Defence Corvette [Canada]

  Under the second pillar of its shipbuilding strategy, Ottawa is seeking a replacement for its Kingston-class OPVs. The identified successor programme has been named the ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Continental Defence Corvette [Canada]

  Under the second pillar of its shipbuilding strategy, Ottawa is seeking a replacement for its Kingston-class OPVs. The identified successor programme has been named the ...

• Corvettes

  Continental Defence Corvette [Canada]

  Background Initial requirements Under the second pillar of its shipbuilding strategy, Canada is seeking to procure an undisclosed number of small vessels (below 1000t). Part ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) [Canada]

  Programme Background Programme Inception The Royal Canadian Air Force's (RCAF) Joint Unmanned Surveillance and Target Acquisition System (JUSTAS) project was established to procure a UAS for ...

• Submarines: conventional/attack

  Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP) [Canada]

  Background Requirements The Royal Canadian Navy currently operates four second-hand Victoria-class SSKs. They were purchased from the UK in the late 1990s and re-commissioned into ...

• Loitering munitions

  Warmate [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Ukraine placed an order for an undisclosed number of Warmate systems in 2017. Shepherd believes units acquired in this order later were utilised ...

• Minehunters

  Awaji Class (1-4) [Japan]

  Programme Background Two Awaji class mine countermeasures vessels (MCMV) were ordered from the Japanese shipyard Japan Marine United (JMU) for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) initially. ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Aerostar [Mexico]

  Methodology Unit cost Based on the UAV’s MTOW and the Defence Insight database, Shephard estimates the aircraft’s 2026 gross and flyaway unit costs are $1.95 million and $1.58 million, respectively. Based ...

• OPVs

  Inlay Class (second OPV)

  Programme Background The Inlay class originally consists of a single OPV in service with the Myanmar Navy. However, a second Inlay-class OPV has been reported under construction since ...

• OPVs

  Cyprus Second Sa'ar 62 OPV

  Programme BackgroundThe Republic of Cyrus' Ministry of Defence placed an order with Israel Shipyards for its first Sa'ar 62  OPV in December 2015 in a project valued ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  HUSAR (2023 Order) [Germany]

  Programme Background First Order In 2015, the German Army launched the HUSAR programme to identify a replacement for its Airbus Defence & Space KZO and ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Makassar Class LPD (7)

  Indonesia signed a contract for $150 million for two LPDs in the Makassar class, KRI Makassar and KRI Surabaya, with South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering ...

• Loitering munitions

  Warmate (2017) [Poland]

  Background Order In November 2017, Poland ordered 100 sets of Warmate loitering munitions, each consisting of ten platforms, for a reported 100 million Polish Zloty ($26.49 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Corvettes

  Corvette Borealis 105

  The Corvette Borealis 105 is a concept corvette designed by Saab. It is intended for the Canadian Continental Defence (CDC) programme. The design was first ...

• OPVs

  Vigilance OPV

  At CANSEC 2023, Vard Marine, partnering with Heddle Shipyards, Thales Canada, SH Defence and Fincantieri under the Team Vigilance banner, pitched an OPV design for ...

• Corvettes

  Vigilance 100

  The Vigilance 100 is a developmental corvette designed by Vard Marine. First unveiled at CANSEC 2025, it is part of the Team Vigilance proposal to the ...

• Corvettes

  Vard 7 105 Continental Defence Corvette

  The Vard 7 105 Continental Defence Corvette is a concept vessel designed by Vard Marine as part of the Vigilance bid for the Royal Canadian ...

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  Scorpion 2

  Scorpion 2 is a man-portable, non-ITAR remote controlled improvised explosive device (RCIED) jammer, designed to deliver a hybrid, full-spectrum system and threat-band coverage protection for ...

• Military - UUVs

  HUGIN Edge

  The HUGIN Edge is an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) developed by Kongsberg. The platform is intended for defence, commercial and scientific missions, including mine countermeasures, ...

• Air: helicopter radar, Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: UAS radar

  PicoSAR

  The PicoSAR is a compact multi-mode Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) surveillance radar manufactured by Leonardo. Due to its lightweight, it is a suitable system for ...

• EW test systems, Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  CAST-easy

  RUAG unveiled the Countermeasure Advanced System Test Equipment (CAST-easy) in 2017 earmarking it for the Panavia Tornado series of combat aircraft. The 2017 announcement stated ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Drone Deterrence System

  First unveiled at the LIMA 2017 exhibition by Mitsubishi Electric, the Drone Deterrence System began to be developed in 2014 and made its first sale in ...

• Individual assault/anti-tank weapons

  Fletcher

  Arnold Defense, which has produced more than 1.1 million 2.75in/70mm rocket launchers for airborne applications since 1961, unveiled the Fletcher 2.75in/70mm Weapon System at the September ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  FJ33-5A

  The FJ33-5A is a turbofan engine manufactured by Williams. The engine achieved EASA certification in April 2017, and is used onboard the XQ-58 Valkyrie UAV. 

• Minehunters

  Kormoran II Class

  Three Kormoran II-class minehunters were budgeted for the Polish Navy in 2011, and a contract was placed for a prototype in 2013, with the first ...

• OPVs

  La Confiance Class (PLG)

  The La Confiance-class, also known as the Guyanese Light Patrol Vessel (PLG), in service with the French Navy, was designed by Bureau Mauric and built ...

• Submachine guns

  FN SCAR-SC

  FN Herstal unveiled the 5.56mm FN SCAR-SC (Subcompact Carbine), the newest member of the SCAR (SOF Combat Assault Rifle) family originally developed for the US ...

• Self-propelled guns

  MGS-25 Aleksandar

  Yugoimport-SDPR unveiled the MGS-25 Aleksandar 155mm/52cal wheeled  SPH at the Partner defence exhibition in July 2017, which builds on the company's experience producing the Nora ...